Shattearth
by Zorlin
Summary: Ironic that Steven UNIVERSE only focuses on two races - humans and gems, and not the rest of the inverse, eh? I have always loved building off other people's works. I love twisting and morphing already current works. Steven Universe is no different. I intend to build an extended universe that fans can make content out of. Be it music, or games, or stories. I'm going wild with this!
1. Prologue: War and Glory

The pitter-patter of Earth's rain always bothers me. So irregular, so erratic. It reminds me that this planet is ever-changing. It has rules, certainly, but those rules are so broad that the boundaries are so large that almost everything is in constant motion. A theme so varied, you'd think everyone would love earth. But the only species that colonized Earth were the _Cristallum Pransurus_ (Gemcracker in basic/English). Funnily, I'm a Gemcracker as well. A Pureblooded Gemcracker Bounty Hunter from Clan Swan. Born amongst 24 brothers, 16 sisters, 7 aunts, 14 uncles, 3 mothers, and 1 father. I was born Gemcracker Zorgorck, meaning "One Who Wimpers". I never once wanted to kill or to hunt. I was a strange case, indeed, not fitting into our many castes.

There were four types of Gemcrackers. There was the average, idiotic, brutish Hunters. These made up the majority of all clans. They were trend followers, and though they were powerful to other species, they were but plebeians to us. They made up a large number of the clans, and could become other castes through conviction.

There was the Maidens. Maidens were female Gemcrackers who known for their abilities to charm and wile other species. They were known for their hospitality and compassion. The Maiden's Ward, the official representative body of the Maidens and Warmaidens, is known for being the first Shatterearth (the ancestral name of our homeworld) Body to oppose hunting. There was the Warmaiden, a subsect of the Maiden's Ward, who were Maidens who didn't fit into the usual job of charming, cooking, caring, and calming, the four C's of Female Gemcrackers. They were usually Warriors, and that's where their name came from. Though they were seen as abnormal, they were accepted societally, and it was seen as immoral to deny a Warmaiden. Usually they led abstinent lives, preferring to not go through courting.

There was the Elder, who were older Hunters who had obtained enlightenment from both hunting and their families. There were two types of Elders, the Elder Warrior, and the Council Warrior. Both were important, but usually Elder Warriors were slightly older Hunters who had earned the respect of the Council and were given a higher spot in Gemcracker Society. Council Elders were Elders who had earned so much respect and love, that they were offered a spot on the federal Council, a great honor. My uncles were Elder Warriors. Only a few of my Uncles were Council Elders. My father was considered the Grand Warrior. The Grand Warrior were the leaders and sole proprietors of the different clans. Although my father stopped aging after he became an Elder Warrior (a choice he made so that all Gemcrackers would relate with him), he was actually thousands of years old when I was born. Some even considered my father the Great Warrior. Although there has only been one Great Warrior, it was enough. The Great Warrior was an ancient Gemcracker who, though he may be more fiction than fact now, did exist. The Great Warrior was responsible for destroying an ancient organism called the Robloid and liberating the Gemcrackers. He even set forth the law that no Gemcracker should strike another Gemcracker. It laid a foundation for later generations to unite the 12 Clans of Shatterearth. In essence, the Great Warrior was a living idol, and was revered as a legendary warrior.

There was the Younglings, children and adolescents who were still being taught and taken care of by their Elders. There was the Forgotten, a sect of younglings who lost their parents to either imprisonment, death, war, capture, or banishment. Orphans. Guess I'm a Forgotten too.

Then there is the Traitor. Criminals, Murderers, Thieves, Kidnappers, and all those that fall outside the other three classifications are within this boundary. I'm a Traitor too, if I think about it…

To put it simply, I was the Prince of the Swan Clan. Zorgorck, the son of Moralo, the Grand Warrior of Clan Swan. I had everything, and my mother coddled me. My father saw great potential in me, and invested much of his time trying to pull me along his hunts. However being the Prince, and the son of the Queen of Clan Swan, he had no luck. It was only when the Expelling began I took up the blade for my people. Too late, but my father beamed when I picked up my sword and destroyed the 133rd regiment of the Gem Army. He was so proud, but I felt a great weight burdened on me. I hated destroying things. Still do. Though, after almost a millenia of fighting, it's gotten easier to disassociate myself from my kills, I still hate conflict. Peace is so much more tranquil. Peace has a larger weight than conflict, but still worthwhile.

The Gemcrackers were habitual hunters, consistently and continuously looking for species to suppress. We found our niche hunting the ever-changing feral Gems. Back then, when I was but a child, Gems weren't intelligent. They were beasts, meant to be hunted. However, a few hundred years passed and they evolved, and began taking humanoid form. They requested us to stop hunting them as animals, writhing in the dirt. Some, like the Swan, Wolf, and Eagle Clans did. Some, like the Crow, Tiger, and Gorilla clans did not.

You might wonder why we knew of some of Earth's indigenous species. Well, that's easy. We colonized Earth far before the Gems, it was an ancestral hunting ground and resort. Humans were actually the result of the accidental fusion of ape and Gemcracker DNA. Science among the Gemcrackers almost always related to War and weapons, but the research on earth was cell regeneration. The reason for this is simple, as there were so many traumatized veterans on Shatterearth that we had lost count of how many had little to no real limbs. Cybernetics replaced 60% of the Gemcracker Army's limbs. The apes on earth were perfect for testing as they were physically similar to Gemcrackers, and it only took two years for the DNA of Gemcrackers to be accidentally infused into a medical experiment, resulting in the first humans. Children of the Gemcrackers, we refused to aid Humanity, as they needed to find their own place in the world. They evolved independently and have turned out, albeit weaker and worse, quite well in respect to most life in the universe, and the Gemcrackers.

We Gemcrackers were born on Marndor, a thick, brush, green, water-infested rainforest moon off Sinjar, the Sun of Gorald, the Prime Galaxy (the Prime Galaxy is where the most influential and elder species lie, and where the Galaxy system started). The Universe is divided into Galaxy Sectors, The Prime Galaxy is where the Gem Homeworld lied, and so did ours. The Crystal Galaxy is where species such as Humans lie, however, ever since the Rebellion, the Crystal Galaxy was barricaded off from the rest of the universe, as this was the only galaxy with concentrated amounts of rebel cells, and therefore prison sectors, as well as Dead Planets (grounds where Gem/Gemcracker conflicts took place). There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Galaxy Sectors. I digress, but Marndor was my homeworld, not my home. I was raised on Kinjork, a large moon off Sinjar. The Gem's homeworld, I was raised in. It was a harsh, dead planet. Very rarely was there any food, let alone water. We were lucky. Our technology and our trade allowed us to survive. We hunted and shattered the Gems, sold their remains as armor and weapon pieces, and made a thriving living off them. But when the Shatterearth Conflict began, we split. The Six Prime Clans of Shatterearth split, Crow, Tiger, and Gorilla oppressed the smaller Worm and Snake clans and forced them into bondage, moving the Gem remains of humanoid (and intelligent) Gems to sell them offworld. Then, the Swan clan led the assault on the Tiger-occupated Wolves Den, causing the dreaded Dead Clan Massacre. Only with the help of the Asymurans were we able to overpower the Dead Clans.

The Asymurans were a physically (for the most part) weak, but extremely, superceedingly, intelligent race of fair-haired humanoids. They were the first Space Fairing race, and shared their technology with the Gemcrackers (more out of need then want, as the Morgocs were chasing them). In exchange the Gemcrackers showed their compassion by demanding the Morgocs relent, and the fearsome Morgoc Horde backed down at the sight of the Swan Legion (the Swan Clan's determined, organized militia).

The Dead Clans consisted of the weak-willed, easily controlled Worm clan, the Fearful, pathetic Snake Clan, the Rageborn Gorillas, a hulking group of slow, methodical, neanderthals, the Gorillas were not peaceful, rather they were passive.

They let other clans do as they wish, but when they wanted something the other clans knew not to provoke them. The Gorilla Clan endeared the Gems' ability to adorn their armor and strike fear into their enemies, and loyalty and love into their friends. They only took part in the Dead Clan Alliance, a group created to oppose the Shatterearth Council (the lawmaking and enforcing body of Shatterearth), to continue their traditions. They were the first to amend the Dead Clan Alliance, and join the Shatterearth Council oncemore.

The Tiger Clan was a group of vicious backstabbers. Their clan's progeny originated in deception, as the Tiger and Wolf clans were once one and the same. However, power hungry, the Tiger Clan's leaders led an insurrection and killed the Grand Warrior of the Wolf clan and claimed leadership of a new clan, and led the majority of the then Wolf clan into a new direction, and deluded their people into believing that the Wolf clan was weak. It only took two moons for the Wolf Clan to be contacted by a large refugee group from the Newly Created Tiger clan to be let back into the Wolf Clan as the Tiger was enforcing, and still enforced, harsh rules and laws about food and resources. The Tiger Clan was weak militarily, but their espionage is legendary.

The Crow Clan were a reclusive group, and legendary for their mortar skills. Even the Eagle clan, whom was legendary for their fleeting Hound Cavalry, could not help but fear their famous ability to destroy entire battlefields with their Murder Bombs. The Murder Bombs were groups of not-so-sentient Crow-like Thermite-based suicide bombers. They looked exactly like Crows from earth, and for the most part, looked harmless. Only the Gems, Asymurans, and a few select others could realize that the Murder Bombs were an attack, most others thought it was just fleeing life forms. Well, that's why the Crow Clan was infamous for destroying entire species. Fearful of close confrontation, they usually hide behind bigger Gemcrackers like the Gorillas, and the now-extinct Dragon Clan.

The Dragon Clan, a clan that my Father originated from and married into the Swan clan, is now extinct. Renowned for their determination, honor, and power, they mysteriously disappeared shortly before the Gems began turning humanoid. Only four, one of which was my Father, survived. He raised me like a dragon, and that included rigorous training, and even more strenuous play and love. He didn't fit in anywhere but with my mother in the Swan clan, and I'm lucky to have him and my mother. She was a Swan.

The Swans were famous for their close quarters combat capability, their inexplicably amazing abilities related to the Psyche. They are known for some good things, like uniting the fragmented Gemcracker Shatterearth Clans. But they also were known as sociopaths, unattainable, unreachable, and overall, detached. They rarely spoke with other clans, let alone other races. It was considered an extreme honor to speak with a Swan. And when the Swan Legion emerged, you either reeled back in fear, or respect, or you accepted your death and fought to the death. Social geniuses, manipulative. And regal, too. Nothing like me.

The Wolf clan was known for its fierce loyalty, and stubbornness. When the Wolf Pack entered the battlefield, one knew that it was either going to be a quick bloodbath in favor of the Wolves or a long, horrendous, resource-dwindling, strenuous conflict. Notorious for their ability to ignore pain, they would fight long after their body was broken.

The Eagle Clan, known for their legendary breeding skills. They could make the most pathetic pups into proud hounds that bore many children. They bred large hounds used as mounts, jagged teeth adorning their blood-stained mouths. They were legendary in their ability to quickly overwhelm enemies and end a battle quickly. They were the Regihounds. Regihounds have four eyes, each a different shade of a color. Most were green or gray, but some rare breeds had pink or purple eyes. A sign of royalty. Regihounds were raised to seek out any living thing, and either capture, maim, or kill a target. In the case of gems, they would use residual gem dust in the ground to track a gem, and according to their mission, they would poof the gem and grasp it in their mouth, or would just poof them and shatter them by biting down. They were renowned for their effectiveness. I owned a few, mainly my Warhound Masati.

After the Dead Clans relented to the Shatterearth council, the Gems advanced, and quickly matched the majority of the universe in technology, military strength, and culture. They were invited into the unofficial Universe Board. The Asymurans created this somewhat secretive Board, wherein only the most agreeable and advanced peoples could participate in. For the most part, up until the invitation, the Gem Homeworld was anarchy. However, after rumors of the invitation spread, Gem Warlords started vying for control, most were regular Quartz, rough and tumble soldiers. However, a singular caste appeared. The Diamonds. The Diamonds were known as rare elites. Most were reclusive, but one in particular had arranged the assassination and shattering of the other Diamond Lords. His name was Obsidian, otherwise known as Black Diamond.

Black Diamond easily captured and shattered the only ones that were a threat to him – the other diamonds. He then put pressure on the warlords with more affluence, and quickly 'rallied' the Gem Colonies. A dictator incarnate. However, on the outside, he was seen as a great leader, and up until the Expelling, was seen as a great figure. However, the Shatterearth Council had refused to relent the colonies on Kinjork. We did have legitimate claim to the land, as the Gems had never colonized the areas we lived in. Moreover, Kinjork was a joint colony. It was seen as a trust-building activity. If the Gems didn't try to force their way onto our land, and we didn't try to expand on the joint colony, everything would be alright. For the most part, it worked. However, Black Diamond had grown to fear the Gemcrackers. After all, we had grown so powerful that we had destroyed the Robloid, one of the ancient species that created, for a fact, the Gems and the Gemcrackers. More so, our advances in technology, our social and political status in the universe, all challenged the upcoming Gems. Fear, mixing with his new children being war-hungry, motivated Black Diamond to make a decree. Three months were given to all Gemcrackers on Kinjork to leave. It didn't even take a few weeks before the Dark Regime's (the name of Black Diamond's regime) armies marched into the Northern Villages and massacre Gemcracker children and women. This sparked a warhawk movement among the youth of both Kinjork and Shatterearth. I, for one, was a preteen. I was horrified to hear my peers discuss the vivid and graphic shatters they were planning. However, when I was preparing to leave the educational forward camp, I heard rumors that the camp was attacked. I was the first one on scene, and the scene was – brutal.

Child after child corpse was strewn about – bloody, with holes piercing their chests, for the most part. I knew that it was a singular gem that did it – and my blood boiled. For the first time in my life, I entered the Primal State.

The Primal State was the engorged, fierce, warrior-state that all Gemcrackers were capable of. It usually came on during any warfare, but I purposefully had buried it, because the Dragon clan were notorious for their savage, monstrous state. Most times, it took hundreds of years for a Dragon to learn to use their Primal State effectively. Evidently only one of the Gemcracker Students had gotten the chance to enter the primal state, as she had twice as many stabs than the others, and her veins were protruding, her hair highlighted purple with pulsating plasma, signs of Primal State. Her irises were blood red, and her muscles were strained to the extreme. The Primal State changed for each clan.

The Gorillas' bloodstream turns to iron, the muscles expand, and the fat extenuates. This basically provides extreme amounts of protection, making them walking tanks, literally. They were nearly invincible in this state, but speed, unlike most normal gorillas, was now impossible. Most people know to immediately use the environment to trap the Gorilla to wait out the State to wear off. The Gorillas also lose the multi-tasking and wisdom they usually have outside the State. A one track mind, hulking form, and invincibility, all made it impossible to fight the Gorilla head on.

The Tiger's muscles stretch, their eyes lose focus, and extra adrenaline is pumped to their legs. Their speed increases tenfold, so fast that they increase in stealth capabilities to boot. This usually accommodates an escape after a Tiger is discovered during espionage. Mentally, their mind only adapts to flight of danger. The best tactic is to remain on the defensive and wait for them to slip up and quickly finish them off, as tiring them out is too time consuming, and trying to maintain speed with them is unworthy.

The Crow's eyes, reflexes, and hand-eye coordination all bolster when entering the Primal State. This makes Crow Artillery barrages impossible to defend against, so speed was the only way to escape the devastation. Homing in on the faster targets, the Crows are known for eliminating legions of enemies with their primal state. Blind Crows are the reclusive sect of the Crow Clan known for their xenophobic nature, and blindness. They have learned to rely on their taste to detect different objects, easily identifying other clan members, and other species. They are known for entering a halved state that ensures defeat of the enemy, as the Blind Crows now no longer require their eyes to seek the enemy.

The Wolves are unique, as when they enter the Primal State, their eyes, movements, and even thoughts are linked, in a pack mentality, so if one is fighting the Wolf Horde head on, one must be prepared to retreat or hold them off until they all wear out, otherwise, one would die.

The Dragons are unbeknownst to most, but they enter this gargantuan, rage-filled state, and are berserkers incarnate. No one but the toughest enemies have ever survived the Primal Dragon. Morgoc Warlords, Diamonds, Asymuran Giant Mechs, all have the rare attribute of survival against the Primal Dragon.

The Swans enter a transcendent state, wherein they can slightly predict movement and prepare for it, making all forms of combat much more difficult for the enemy. Swans excel in close to mid-long range, but are mediocre in long range engagements. When entering the primal state, it is exceptionally easier to telepathically manipulate other, weaker-minded species like Morgocs.

The Eagles enter a nature-esque state, binding themselves to their pups, living through them. With the pups brute force, and the Eagle's mind, their danger tripled, and when a squad of Eagles go Animal, a bloodbath was to ensue, victory or loss, it mattered not.

Other, smaller clans had other transformations, like the worms entering a gassy state wherein they could escape their enemies, or envelop them and suffocate them, or the Turtle Clan who enter a Water Titan when they go Primal.

When I entered the state, my already blue hair turned a brilliant cyan, my eyes bled a venomous red, and my bulk mass had increased tenfold. My heart spoke for my brain. All I wanted was the Gems to be shattered. I rushed across the barren scape, and spied the Quarts Quintet, the Triple-General led army of exclusively Quarts soldiers. I jumped high into the sky, pulled a Rainbow Flame Sword (a standard Dragon weapon I'd been told was unlocked by the primal state) aimed it earth-wards, and slammed it into the purple, scorched earth. The Flames danced from the tempered blade, and sought only Gem fluid, shattering hundreds in seconds. Glorious death-dealing like this was rare for a child my age, even in primal state, they could see I was no grown Gemcracker. They all gasped in shock as they saw they comrades instantly be shattered. The Generals quelled their fears, and with qualms, struck their echoing voices to me.

"How dare the Gemcrackers attack Kinjorck's natives! What treachery!" one said.

"How espionage-like, wouldn't you agree?" another would squall.

"..." another remained silent. The silence unnerved the others.

"What is this? Why so quiet, Jasper?" a general squeaked.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. Black Diamond said that there wouldn't be a child that could use the primal state. We were supposed to be clear." Jasper nervously muttered.

All this was accompanied by the flames seeking out their underlings, killing them by the hundreds, and to the Generals' horror, soon the flames fell short of anything to track, only leaving them to die directly by my hands.

The entirety of their armies lay shattered. None could speak. They were all stunned.

Then, I leaped. So fast, so impossible to follow. I struck the Amedine first, shattering her gem instantly, I somersaulted over the now-disappearing Amedine, and poofed a Caraldine by stabbing her threw the head with my Rainbow Sword. After landing intro a crouch and the Caraldine falling from the air in her gem form, my hands flashes and split her gem in two. The last Gem General, Jasper, was smart. She knew she would be shattered. While I was shattering her comrades, she had used the synonymous rolling form of the Quarts to flee. No doubt, she fled directly to Black Diamond. I didn't care. I made my way to the Shatterearth Scouts, the forward force of our armies. When I returned to the camp, I saw the strongest, toughest of our people curling the child corpses in their arms, weeping uncontrollably. It was obvious, that this meant war. My father heard of my slaughter, and came to greet me. He praised me whilst I sobbed internally for what had transpired. But I spoke not. I knew that war lay ahead.

After this event, The Expelling, the long-fought war against Black Diamond, began. For thousands years, generations of gemcrackers learned to hate the gems. The war was long – and we lost many. It was a mutual thing. Through Obsidian's prodding, he learned the Robloid has created the Gems via what he called a Generator. To replace the Gems he was losing, he revolutionized the generator, destroyed the original schematics to take praise for the saving of the gems. He called it; The Kindergarten. It was...terrible. Not only did it destroy the already-frail planet, it made the Gem Army impossible to dwindle. Kinjork soon crumbled, entire abysses that were once battlefields occupied the planet. The Gems wouldn't stop. However, something had happened.

Black Diamond was the craftiest, most cunning Diamond you'd ever meet. He ensured that no gem could rival him. But even he knew the risks. After a near-successful Crane assassination (the Cranes being an offshoot of the Swans, known for rogue abilities), Obsidian began to fear that no one would carry on his legacy. So he feared. That was until the Kindergartener that he had put in charge, Peridot, told him that the Kindergarten had accidentally created 4 diamonds. Peridot asked if these gems should be shattered before they form? So that they wouldn't pose a threat to Obsidian. At first he immediately was going to order their shattering – but, he though again. He could raise them as his daughters. _They_ could replace him. It remedied everything. Black Diamond destroyed Peridot and the original Kindergarten's schematics, and placed a personal servant of his, a Peridite, in charge. He purposefully never taught anyone the means to build a kindergarten capable of producing a diamond. The only one capable of such a thing was Peridot, who had seen the schematics and dutifully built them to Obsidian's specifications. Unfortunately for her, Peridot was a threat. So she was replaced. And shattered. Over the last 400 years of the Expelling, we lost too much ground. The 4 Diamond Generals bolstered the morale of the Gem Army, and stories of their prowess weakened ours. It was then that we were contacted by White Diamond, one of the four. She was tired of this war, and knew that our forces were but a fraction of the reality. She knew this war would never end well. If we really began to have trouble, we would bring the Council into the war, and they would side with us. Her father, she said, was just to set in his ways to realize this. She proposed, after almost 10 thousand years of war, that I should be the one to shatter him. My father had been destroyed in an accident in the Minefields of Grimoire. My mother had died giving birth to my youngest sister. My people had named me Great Warrior. What I lacked in socialties, and in leadership, I made up for in effectiveness. I had long since surpassed by father in strength and skill. A duel between us decided that. I had grown distant from my people – I was apathetic and a sociopath incarnate. I took the assassination only because I wanted to _feel_ something. An emotion. And I did. The battle started on Kinjork's capital city. I had already dispatched his escort, and the diamonds he raised abandoned him to me. He was more powerful then them all combined. I knew, because I'd already fought them all at the same time. It was nothing compared to Obsidian's battle. He was incredible. So fast, so strong. I reveled in every blow he gave to me, and giddy I was when I struck back. For the first time in a long time, my warrior spirit was awoken. I smiled and laughed the entire battle. It put him off. He knew who I was – what I was capable of. He had heard stories of the soulless Gemcracker. He who didn't speak. But my jaunting, my sneers, and my jokes simply baffled him. The battled swayed many times. More than once I thought I was done for. But after a week of battling, I went Primal, caught him off guard, and shattered him. His gem was so large that I made most of it into my current armor, but some was fused into my Gem Phylactery. The Gem Phylactery was a Warrior's means of using the toughest of his enemies' powers. Already, the Jasper General, a Morgoc Emerald, and many others adorned my armor. I could summon their weapons, and their gems gave me power. Some back on Shatterearth scorned my power. No warrior back home could match me. They thought the power was going to my head, that I would soon seek to dominate them. But even in my lack of social being, I didn't care about that kind of power. Battle power was all that matter. Let the Council deal with the frivolities of politics. I cared only for the thrill of a good battle. And man, was that rare! To battle for a week? My longest battle previously was 4 hours! I had the best Asymuran smith build my armor and embed my phylactery in it. With that, I could summon all the previous Gems' weapons. I was unstoppable. At the end of it, the Diamonds only asked that their transgressions be forgiven. The Expelling was over.

After the war, Shatterearth retreated into itself. Angry at the council for no economic support, it receded. This was the problem with Shatterearth – we were too isolated. For hundreds of years after the Expelling, I traveled the universe, convened with hundreds of species, and gain the title of The Gemcracker. I had long since gotten rid of my name Zorgorck. That meant, "The One Who Wimpers". That was inappropriate. After my Primal showing of power, I changed my name to Zorlin, meaning "One Who Shatters". It was long after I was asked to deal with growing restlessness in a colony. The name was Uranus. The Gems there were starting to doubt the Authority. I was sent in after their usual means of calming, a remarkable Rose Quarts that had the knack of calming (or in later cases, riling) gems. She was unsuccessful. No, rather, she didn't try. I knew the Rose Quarts. We had worked together previously. I knew she had her doubts about the Authority. It was during this particular mission I grew close to Rose, and learned she hadn't actually tried her best to calm them. In her heart, she knew their concerns were well-thought. I agreed with her, but knew my duty. It was then that a roaming Blue Noble, a Sapphire, was ambushed. I saved her, after she was cracked by a raging Amethyst. Rose healed her, and I hunted the leader of the Rebellion down, and shattered her. Our little triad, me, Rose, and Sapphire, all had ideas. We stayed in contact. It was then that me and Sapphire grew even closer, to the point of love. Rose had also tried to get closer to me – but I knew her more as a sister than a lover. I denied Rose out of fear for our current relationship. Nothing really remained the same between her and Sapphire. Constantly bickering, the two argued over the simplest things. They agreed that a certain kindergarten had to be rebuilt, but while Rose wanted it to be built in the northern Flower Fields, Sapphire prudently disagreed, saying the Marshes would be more beneficial. The two only stopped after they saw how I was getting angry. I didn't like seeing those I care about fight. After Rose returned to her Diamond, Sapphire and I began work on something that superseded everything. The Guilds. Attempts at guilds previously fell apart. But with the support of Blue and Pink Diamond (via Rose and Sapphire), and my connections in the Council, the Guilds were born. There were hundreds – but the main ones I partook, and lead, were the Mercenaries' Guild, and the Adventurer's Guild. The Adventurer's philosophy was that the universe was so big – we should explore it! And The Mercenary's Philosophy was that there was so much money – why not take it? I was Guildmaster of both guilds. The Mercenaries' Guild and the Adventurer's Guild were intertwined. Mostly due to me. The Mercenaries' would take on a mission from a party, usually a council leader, like Yellow Diamond, or the Asymuran Lead Engineer (the equivalent of a leader in Asymuran society). Another guild would find a reason to be there, like the Zoologists' Guild trying to preserve an endangered animal. Then the Adventurer's Guild would support the second guild in their mission, whilst exploring the surrounding area, and in times of duress, would support the Mercenaries if they were under attack. This formula of missions worked well until the Perma-Meteor. It was a planetoid rocketing through space, that shattered upon attack of a Gemcracker cannon, that then destroyed Shatterearth. It shook me. My entire race, in an instant, destroyed. So few were off planet. It was only after the Crystal Rebellion that another Gemcracker contacted me to let me know that the Diamonds were hunting down the Gemcrackers – that THEY were the ones that destroyed Shatterearth. It made sense. They were fearful of us – again, and knew drawn-out wars were impossible. Of course, us remnants couldn't accuse the Diamonds. We so few – and the Gems' incredible pull in the Council, compounded that it would be pointless to beg for retribution. I simply kept on. Doing missions of high caliber, gaining a name for myself, spending my off time conversing with anyone from Rose to the Guildmasters, to my previous Sapph. It was then brought to my attention by Blue Diamond that a rebellion was brewing, and when she told me who lead it, my heart sank. Rose. Her growing alienation of the Diamonds had lead her to leave and form a rebellion on Earth. She knew it was a futile attempt. Why do it? Sapphire, for once, defended her. I left for Earth alone. Sapphire later convinced Blue Diamond to let her come along – another mistake. After a few decades of battle, Sapphire, during a small period of peace, asked me something. I now know that this was because she foresaw her cracking, and shattering down the line. But she asked me, strangely, if I wanted a daughter. I shook my head in disbelief. But she told me she had found an ancient library untouched by the Diamonds' influence. One of the Oracles of the Robloid. A strange process known now as Hybridization, something that the Diamonds, and 99% of the universe didn't know of. All it took was the Gem's life, and they could take upon themselves DNA from another race. A Hybrid. I said that maybe if she were ever near-death, I'd agree, but I said that I'd protect her. Years later, during a battle in the Crystal War, A ginormous fusion shattered the ground in two, and sent Sapphire, a visiting noble, into a cave. My memories are fuzzy – up until I kneeled at her side. Her gem had 2 deep cracks. She was as good as shattered. I plead to her to stay with me – that I needed her. But she told me that Onyx (the name we thought for our potential daughter) needed me too. My eyes widened in realization – she knew. I could have done something, anything, but she denied this. If I had done something, The Rebellion would have ended. I shook my head – why? Why after all your disagreements with Rose, do you agree with her insurrection now? She cried and laughed. She agreed with the majority of Rose's ideals, she just hated her for trying to steal me. I laughed. She told me that Rose, as a sister, needed me. That the Diamonds were just as corrupt as their father. That I could save Gemkind. I shook my head – I told her that the war is over, and I am tired of fighting Diamonds. She yelled, said that if I had known what they were doing here on earth, I wouldn't be so quick to be 'tired'. I didn't know what she spoke of then, but I do now. It took 5 minutes. I poofed her, and put a safeguard around her. I returned her to my ship, and reported her SIA to the Diamonds. I then acted as though I were continuing to help them – but started leaving signs that I wanted to talk to Rose. It took a while. But we talked. We both knew what must happen. Pink Diamond was the most likeable Diamond, and the youngest. I cared for her deeply. I disagreed, and fought with Rose for a long time. But she made sense. Pink Diamond was the colony's overseer. If she were shattered – the Diamond's would retreat to mourn and would leave earth be. I told her I wouldn't do it. She said I had to.

Near the War's end, I was 'escorting' Pink Diamond. I increasingly became more depressed after speaking with her – I cared about her. She was like a daughter to me. Rose ambushed her, and I sat by, tears dripping, as Rose overpowered her entourage. Rose battle Pink Diamond, and was so close to shattering, when all of a sudden – Rose broke down. She couldn't do it. I knew she couldn't – this duty fell on me. Pink looked on in horror as I pulled Black Diamond's maul out, and aligned it to her gem. She at first pleaded with me. She then simply asked me to 'protect Earth and its beauty'. I agreed. I shattered her, and took a shard and put it in my phylactery. I wanted to remember her. That's when the war ended. Rose and I kept a secret confidante, speaking over the years. After a while, she met and befriended an overcooked Amethyst, whom I suggested to shatter. Appalled at me, she realized I had returned to my mercenary ways. I had changed – but I wanted to appear harsh. I still resented Rose for making me shatter Pink. Nobody really knew I was the one that did it. Not even Garnet or Pearl. They were too a few miles west keeping any of the Homeworld Gems from finding me and Rose. We spoke maybe four times, for a few hours each. The second to last time she spoke, she lamented that she couldn't have children, like Gemcrackers or humans. I told her of Sapphire's Hybridization. She fawned and lamented Sapphire's intelligence. She missed her, too, strangely. The last time I spoke to her, she said she had found a human of extreme depth, and he and her were thinking of having a child named Steven. I begged her not to, and she 'promised' not to do it. I knew it was a lie. Recently, though, Onyx, who was not yet even 5 decades old, used her charm and wit to secretly go to Earth. I had to go after her. Surely the appearance of a Gem would only incite hostility from the remaining Gems on the planet. That's where our journey begins. I am Gemcracker Zorlin, and this is how the Second Crystal Rebellion began.


	2. New Gem

New Gem

The day was quiet, despite all the happenings of Earth. Things were settling down. Steven had just returned, saving his father, Greg, from the grasps of the Zoo. Things were, for a lack of a better, more descriptive term, calm. Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst were talking, as they would do after a big mission like this. Steven was out, with Connie, Lapis, and Peridot, relaxing after the mission. Greg was back at his van, listening to his old tracks and trying to destress. The sun was a golden, blood-red color, splurging the city with its brilliant hue. Despite the War, despite the battles, Earth was still beautiful. Beyond beautiful, beyond words capable of describing the natural bliss that Earth possessed.

That's when Pearl's terminal, which she'd dug up during the hunt for Peridot, binged a notification. It was the first time since the war that it did so. Even when the hunt for Peridot was going on, Pearl would have to monitor it for any changes. Pearl was stunned, a look of pure disbelief on her face. Amethyst was oblivious, while Garnet motioned for Pearl to look at the terminal.

"Well? Just going to stand there and not do a thing?" Garnet said in her deep, seemingly emotionless voice. She looked at Pearl though her shades, waiting for the Pearl to respond.

"Of-" Pearl stuttered, still astonished by the abrupt interruption. "Of course!"

Pearl rushed over, using her nimble, long digits to accept the notification and entering the network password, to access the message.

 **WARNING: SANCTUARY X (ROSE'S SANCTUARY) HAS BEEN BREACHED. UNKNOWN GEM HAS ACCESSED DOOR CONTROLS, HAS PASSWORD. POTENTIAL TRAITOR. RESPOND IMMEDIATELY.**

The message blared a perilous red, and was bold. The old network security system had detected a Gem using the door controls at a sanctuary. Sanctuary X, it had been called. But Pearl was unfamiliar with it. Which was strange, considering Rose told her nearly everything. Garnet was shadowing Pearl. And Amethyst was trying to push her way to the monitor, through the unmoving fusion.

"What is it?! Come on!" Amethyst whined. "I wanna' see!"

Garnet put her multicolored hand on the purple Gem's head, which calmed her.

"Who could it be, Pearl?" Garnet started. "Homeworld?"

Pearl shook her head profusely.

"Impossible. They wouldn't know the passwords. Even during the war, they didn't know." Pearl looked paranoid, sweat gathering under her brow. As usual, she was easily shook.

But Garnet was not easily disturbed. She simply smiled slightly.

"Maybe the Corrupted learned to shapeshift fingers?" Garnet cracked, obviously not taking it as seriously.

Pearl looked back at Garnet with a nervous smile.

"Maybe..." Pearl said, unconvinced.

Amethyst shook her arms in frustration.

"What are you guys talking about?! Is this something about the war?" Amethyst started, shouting, frustrated. "I wasn't around for the war! Come on, tell me!"

Garnet chuckled.

"It's probably nothing. Could be interesting to see an old Sanctuary. Most of them are destroyed." Garnet began, putting her chin in her hand, musing. "It is likely that the facility is intact, considering that the system is still concrete, sending us this message, right, Pearl?"

Pearl nodded, calmer, who was also pensive.

"It's more than plausible. It could be an excellent learning opportunity for both Steven, Connie," She said, turning to Amethyst, "And Amethyst." Pearl smiled excitedly.

Amethyst, still confused, simply looked baffled, scratching her head.

Steven said goodbye to Lapis as she began to fly off with Peridot in hand, and walked towards the house with Connie. Connie was wearing a blue-and-white embroidered sundress, with a tan sombrero-style hat, covering her chocolate, smooth hair. Connie's brown eyes shone from the sun, and Steven smiled. Steven was wearing his usual clothing, his starred shirt, his blue jeans with sock-less sandals. Steven had a small band-aid on his right temple, covering a small scrape he'd endured on their nature walk. The sand, he'd noticed, was dry, too hot to walk on barefoot. The foaming waves drifted it, leaving in its wake, a darker, stained sand bank. Steven and Connie skipped, dancing around each other on the sand, careful not to get too close, in case they fused accidentally. Steven was happy. His dad was safe, his friends were safe, and Earth was safe. Speaking of which…

"Garnet!" Steven squealed seeing the Square-mom walking hand in hand with the other Gems.

Suddenly, Steven broke hands with Connie, and using his floating ability, jumped belly-first onto Garnet's hair. Garnet smiled, grabbed Steven by the ribs(tickling him, causing him to giggle uncontrollably), and brought him face to face with the Gem.

"Oh no!" Garnet said mockingly. "A Steven-bomb?! Whatever shall I do?"

Still giggling, Steven managed to get out, "Put...me….down..!"

Garnet's smile got a little wider, putting down Steven.

"Where are you guys off to?" Steven asked, wiping his shirt as he looked up at the de facto leader of the Crystal Gems, Garnet.

As this exchange happened, Connie walked up quietly and bowed to her teacher, Pearl, who was paying attention to Garnet and Steven's interaction.

"Ma'am." Connie said respectfully, still in a bowing position.

Pearl, shocked out of her daydream, noticed her student's greeting, and pat her head, signaling to stop bowing, to which Connie did so, smiling all the while.

"Well, appa

renfly we're goifing to a sanctulary," Amethyst said, stuffing a corn dog in her black hole of a mouth.

"What's a Sanctualary?" Steven asked seriously. To this, Connie giggled.

"She means Sanctuary, Steven!" Connie said, mid-laugh. Embarrassed at his obliviousness, Steven's cheeks went a pale red.

"Well, yes. A sanctuary that we haven't known about. It's a….learning experience." Pearl began, one hand at her side, another at her chin. "Think of it like a field-trip, Steven."

Connie sagged a bit, knowing that some things humans couldn't do. Magical destinies included.

"And, we thought, since Connie is your fusee and your partner, she should come as well." Garnet added, using future vision to predict Connie's sadness.

Connie perked up.

"Really? I mean, I don't want to be a bother..." Connie said modestly, as she turned her head shyly.

"You won't. I swear." Garnet smiled, giving her the thumbs-up to come along.

The group turned, and walked tightly towards the nearby warp pad in the house. The group warped, and began walking towards their destination, and were quiet, until Steven sparked a conversation.

"So, a sanctuary? Like, for animals? Or plants? Did my mom make it?" Steven asked, bending down to pick up a caterpillar to let it crawl across his fingers.

"She...well, she certainly helped facilitate them. But it was rogue bismuthes that built them for Rose." Pearl said, making Steven cringe at the mention of the builder gems. Steven was still trying to understand if what he did to Bismuth was right. What his mom did to Bismuth.

"Yes. A place where safety for all gems was a priority. No guards, no rules. Even humans sought them out during the war." Garnet recalled.

Steven picked up a leaf from a nearby tree and held it out to his caterpillar, who munched on it happily.

"Even for homeworld?" Amethyst said.

Garnet cocked her head, then returned to normality.

"Yes. Even homeworld." Garnet said.

I guess all people deserve a place of safety in times of war… Steven thought.

"Yes, but we didn't even know this place existed." Pearl said, biting her teeth nervously.

"Why? Don't you have like, a map, or something of all the sanctuaries?" Connie asked inquisitively.

"Well...sure." Pearl said halfheartedly. "But, we were given incomplete maps. Even Rose wanted to be alone sometimes."

Connie nodded, and Steven put his caterpillar bud on a nearby low-hanging branch, smiled, and walked away, waving at his old friend. He'd miss him.

"It's exciting. I haven't been in a sanctuary in thousands of years. It should be nice." Garnet said blissfully.

As they approached the location, a pillar of steam seemed to edge from the hill they were climbing.

"What the…?" Pearl said.

Pearl jumped to the top, and brought her hands to her face, aghast at the sight. Garnet, worried, jumped to the same spot, and stopped, like a deer in a headlight. Amethyst was pretty absent-minded, but noticed her friends' reaction, rolling up the hill, falling into a relaxed sitting position, looking down, and seeing what they saw, her jaw dropped. Connie and Steven looked at each other, and raced to the top.

As they reached the top they saw it. A ginormous mountain, with two statures adjourning an entrance. One, on the left, was adorned in a heavy set of armor, spikes and the like in it, with jet-hair, and orange marble for eyes. This statue was strangely masculine for a gem, and the statue had a broadsword hung over its shoulder, with a look of pure disinterest in its sculpted face. It stood at some 30 feet, and was impressively colored with multiple types of stone. The other statue was a more familiar face, Rose's lips, hips, and shield adorned this statue, resembling Rose's form to a T. The statue was smiling, and looked confident as it aimed its shield outwards.

But that's not what startled the group. It's what laid outside. A large, silver metallic structure, resembling some of the ships Steven had seen, was docked directly outside the Sanctuary, with a plume of steam rising from a chimney-looking tower on the back, presumably where the engine was. The ramp was out, but no one was around. The door to the sanctuary was open.

"Homeworld?" Pearl asked rhetorically. "But...but..."

"But you said they didn't know the passwords back during the war!" Amethyst said accusingly.

"They didn't!" Pearl retorted, shaking slightly.

"Enough! We need to get to the bottom of this." Garnet said, still frozen. "Stick together, watch one another's back, and never let your guard down."

The group slid down the hill, and upon venturing close to the door, they recognized thin, small footprints in the smooth gravel leading up to the door. Pearl looked at the entrance terminal, and recognized the password.

"They didn't brute force the terminal..or door." Pearl said horrified.

"Which means they either got intel from one of our own..." Garnet insinuated.

"Or this is one of us." Pearl finished.

Steven and Amethyst looked at each other, confused.

"Why is that a bad thing?" Steven asked. "Another crystal gem isn't a bad thing, is it?"

"It wouldn't be...if it weren't for the fact that they should be corrupted." Garnet said knowingly.

"So? They were tough. They survived." Amethyst chorted, then shrugged.

"No. This means they betrayed us at some point, and avoided the Corruption altogether." Garnet retorted.

Pearl shook her head, and ran inside. Garnet grimaced and ran after her, summoning her gauntlets as she continued her pursuit.

"Pearl, wait!" Garnet yelled inside.

"Come on, guys!" Amethyst said, grabbing Steven, and running after Garnet. Amethyst had Steven over her shoulders haphazardly, and had summoned her whip, before Connie followed quickly. Connie withdrew her sword, and had it in a casual, yet prepared fighting stance.

Please don't let this be another scary battle…. Connie thought to herself as she sprinted after the purple Gem.

The dark corridors were lined with a layer of blue plasma, the only light available. The building was seemingly made of a black, ebony, smooth concrete material. As they continue to run, they stopped when they saw Garnet and Pearl staring at something. When getting close, they saw what looked to be one of Pearl's holograms, but was ejected through a device on a table in a cut out section of the wall. As they got closer, they heard a familiar voice.

"...it seems strange now that I think about it. Working with him. But I'm glad he changed his mind." The voice spoke slowly, sullenly, and maternally.

"Rose?" Amethyst said confused as she let Steven down. Steven wiped himself off, and followed Amethyst and Connie up to the hologram.

The image flickered, and reappeared.

"Log 2 through Log 253 corrupted: Reason: Deleted by admin. Moving to Log 254." Rose's voice said in a monotone pitch and tempo.

"Log 254. It's been a while, hasn't it, Zorlin?" Rose said. The hologram split, and revealed the second figure from the statue outside.

"It has. Amedine's been shattered. Her legion are fleeing." the other figure said emotionlessly, as he stood with his large broadsword over his shoulder, in hand.

"I see. How is Sapphire?" Rose said, sitting in an intricate chair, as she brought what looked to be a tea cup to her lips.

"She's…." the other figure said, hesitating before answering. "...fine. What's my next assignment?"

"Assignment? Is that all I am to you? An employer?" Rose said, raising her gaze at the other figure.

"No!" The figure insisted. "It's..just...I don't want to feel anymore. You know I'm only doing this because of our past. I'm putting Saph in danger by doing this. Working for a rebel. You know that."

"Feel? You don't want to be happy? To laugh? To smile?" Rose asked, with a worried look on her face.

"I don't." the other figure answered, as his gaze lowered to his feet.

"Why?" Rose asked, setting the tea cup down on a table nearby.

"Because then I can't cry. I can't sob. I can't be sad." The other figure asserted, shifting his feet.

The hologram cut out. Another device to left of the current one turned on, which emitted another hologram.

"Hey, Rose. I heard about what happened. How's Pearl and Garnet?" the figure asked hurredly.

"Alright. Thanks to you. Are...are you-" Rose said, interrupted.

"No, I'm not alright. I just shattered the equivalent of a daughter. So, no. I'm not alright. I regret it greatly." the figure said, sitting down in a metal-spiked throne.

"I...I regret feeling. You said I'd be happier. But now...now all I feel is pain. My heart is tearing itself apart. I did this for the rebellion. For you. I can never take it back."

"I..I'm sorry. I should have done it." Rose said, a tear forming in her eyes, as she fell into her chair, and lowered her face into her hands.

"You should have. But you couldn't. It doesn't matter. Because I did it. And everyone thinks you did it. Everything worked out perfectly for you. But not for me. Oh, no, not for me. Sapph is gone. I have no one, Rose. No one." the figure said, before it cut out again, being replaced by another.

"Rose. It's been quite some time since we last spoke." The figure said, seemingly less brooding than before.

"Yes...yes it has. And…I..." Rose faltered, and the figure piqued its head.

"What? Is something happening?" it asked, sitting calmly down in its throne.

"Well, yes. Pearl, Garnet, and I were searching through the prime kindergarten." Rose started, "You know, to make sure things were still...dead."

"Understandable, considering the War. What happened? More Corrupted?" the figure asked, more empathetic than usual.

"No. A Gem." She said simply, with happiness edging from her voice.

"Really? Who?" it asked, leaning forward in its chair.

"An Amethyst, to be exact" Rose said factually.

To this, Garnet and Pearl nodded knowingly, knowing this was when they found Amethyst. But Amethyst just looked...estranged, to say the least. Like someone had been watching her since she emerged.

"In the prime kindergarten? She must be..what, 600 years overcooked?" It asked inquisitively, leaning back, stroking its chin.

"Yes. But she's wonderful. Like an Earthling that inhabits a Gem. She's unique." Rose said appreciatively, making Amethyst blush.

"And useless..." The figure asserted, catching the attention of not only Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Connie and Steven, but the holorecording of Rose.

"Excuse me?" Rose asked, adding, "Useless?"

"Yes. Useless. Without purpose. If it were me, I'd shatter her. You know how amethysts are when overcooked. Dangerous. Unthinking. Insubordinate." It spoke, with malice flowing from each syllable.

Garnet clenched her fist, and Pearl's brow sharpened, while Amethyst looked down at the ground darkly.

"Reminds me of you. What if you never gave me a chance? Or Sapphire? How would our relationships had grown if you never gave me a chance to begin with?" Rose asked, rather neutral in comparison to the other Gems.

"I suppose you would never have rebelled, and Sapphire and I would have never loved one another." the figure spoke knowingly, as its face still clung to the shadows. "Irregardless, do what you think is best. I trust your judgment. Just be careful. I don't need to lose you, too."

Rose smiled at that, and crossed her hands at her chest, and spoke, "Of course. I know you care."

The hologram once again flickered, and reappeared.

"Rose-" The figure began hurriedly before being interrupted by an excited, smiling Rose.

"Zorlin! You won't believe this!" She feverishly burst. "I met a human a while back, but you won't believe it….he's..he's different!"

At this, the group all focused on the hologram. Pearl and Garnet immediately went to the assumption that she meant one of her previous human concubines, while Amethyst, Steven, and Connie all knew better. Steven smiled. His dad was pretty 'different'.

"How so?" The figure asked, as it sat down on what looked to be a chair of some sort, but with no legs to support it this time.

"He's...I don't know….deep. I've never felt this way about a human before." Rose said emphatically, sitting on a human bed.

"But?" The figure asked, tapping on a nearby terminal screen, by the looks of it, interested, but busy, while listening to Rose.

"But...We Gems can't really 'birth'. And...well, supposedly, there's something sacred to humans. Their sort of fusion. It's called a 'child'. But...I can't really have children, because of my Gem." Rose said, physically drooping down in depression. "It's...unfortunate, to say the least."

The figure perked up at the mention of children. And then drooped as well, and hesitated, before continuing.

"We can birth. Me and Sapphire didn't know what to do...we wanted a child badly. During the war..." The figure started, as Rose settled down to pay attention, with her head in her hands, watching intently like a schoolgirl during a lecture.

"During the war...Sapphire, as you know, was cracked by a large homeworld fusion. We had discussed at length years before. Sapphire had found an Oracle, and managed to salvage the knowledge of hybridization, something even the Diamonds didn't know was a thing." It started, speaking methodically, as if it were hard to speak.

"Sapphire...she...and I, talked about our would-be child. What their name would be. We decided. And...she told me that as long as she existed, our child couldn't exist. That it would take her Gem to birth a child. It...didn't occur to me, then, that Sapph has seen her cracking. She knew she would die. She wanted to bring our child into the world. And now that they're here..." The figure spoke, before breaking down.

Small, subtle sobs could be heard from the figure.

"Please. You don't have to go on." Rose said earnestly. Reaching a hand out to the other hologram.

The figure stopped sobbing, and picked itself up.

"Sapphire wanted me to tell you how to hybridize yourself." The figure said solemnly.

Rose was taken back by this.

"She...did?" Rose said doubtfully. "But, why?"

Rose shook her head, skeptical of this.

"Because she knew how you were so fond of humans. She also foresaw us...together. She wanted us to be happy, no matter what. So she told me how to hybridize, and told me that I couldn't keep that knowledge to myself. And I won't." The figure said sullenly.

"But?" Rose said, knowing there was a catch.

"But...I want you to wait. Promise me. Because I want to see you, and I want my child to see her aunt, before you leave this world. I want to see you off." The figure said gravely.

"Of course." Rose lied. "Now, how do I do this…?"

The hologram cut off once more.

All the Gems were speechless. To Connie and Steven, it just sounded like Steven's mom was taught some ability called 'hybridization'. But...to the older Gems….they knew that this figure was responsible for Rose's departure. He was the one who taught Rose how to give her life away. Amethyst was still pretty lost, just scratching at her head, not even on the same level of understanding as Connie and Steven. Garnet stumbled back a step, and faltered slightly. She violently shook her head, and began talking.

"Why?! Why would she do this?" Garnet spoke in a more energized, faster-tempo voice. "She left us...because of some random jerkwad human?!"

"It was her choice..." Garnet said slower, in a calm, more monotone voice. "We can't fault her for doing what she believed was right."

"Right?!" Garnet shouted. "She would still be here if not for him! We don't even know this guy!"

As Garnet argued with herself, Amethyst realized what happened, and her brow furrowed deeply.

"Wait. Just. a. second." Amethyst said in a dark tone, gritting her teeth and looking down, her bangs covering her eyes. "You're saying...that this random guy, was the one who told Rose how to have a kid?"

Anger and hate bellowed in her question, and instinctively, Steven reached out. Before that could happen, Amethyst bolted. Her form was a white-and-black blur, and soon enough you could hear the grinding of stone as she used her rolling form to go even faster. As Steven look down the hall she fled, he could see a trail of tears leading to the wall, where she'd taken the rolling form. Connie looked at her master, and saw nothing. A blank, deadpan face. No tears. No anger.

Abruptly, Pearl fell to her knees, and grasped at the smooth, black stone beneath her holographic feet.

"...Why..." Pearl gasped out. Tears flew from her eyes, falling to the black stone beneath them. "Why?"

"Why...Rose?"

"Why...because...of a human?"

"For…a human..."

Pearl spoke in low tones, barely comprehensible. Garnet was still arguing with herself, and Steven was struggling to understand Pearl. Connie heard it pretty well. She felt a hot pang of shame for being a human. For being associated to someone that caused so much pain for the gems. It was obvious that not enough time had passed. The Gems were still mourning their leader. And all it took was a catalyst. A reason. A person, to blame. They couldn't blame Rose, nor (recently) Greg. But now? Now they had a scapegoat. Connie was terrified. The Gems were so unstable. She felt the security they had established as a team was falling. And all because of one of her kind. A human.

As Amethyst rushed down the corridors, she wasn't searching for anything. She wanted to run. To race. To never stop. Her thoughts raced, never stopping to focus on the trauma she was inducing on herself. She wanted to get away from the pain in her metaphorical heart. She, no matter how fast a quartz she was, couldn't outrun the immense hurt she felt. Hot, emotional tears fell, and suddenly, the walls were lubricating themselves, and Amethyst felt her rolling form's grip loosen, and she tumbled onto the floor, sobbing and crying pathetically. Whether seconds, or minutes, she did not know. But, to her, it felt like centuries. She just lay there, on the ground, drowning herself in her own tears. She knew it was pathetic. But….she missed Rose. How could that jerk do this to them?! Rose would still be here if it weren't for that idiot!

That's when another hologram near Amethyst emerged. This one was of Rose, with a plump belly, seemingly pregnant. The other figure was absent. Her dress was stretched, her face darker than usual, but the still pink skin complimented the white dress and pink accents. She was sat in a floating chair, as before, and looked solemn. She took a deep breath, and began.

"It's been months….and you aren't answering. I assume you're busy… 'working'. I know. But...I also know you are angry. I know you knew I lied. A few more weeks, and I'll be gone...I just...I hope that you can forgive me. I miss you." Rose said sadly, cutting it off.

Before Amethyst could even register that, a new hologram quickly appeared, this time, the muscular human appeared.

"Rose. I haven't accessed this archive in years. I know you are most likely gone, and dead..." The figure spoke, and he breathed in roughly, as if..scared, or mournful, and nearly on the brink of sobbing. Though his face was obscured, the jagged, uncontrollable movements seemed to insinuate he was holding it back.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm even doing this! I just...I was wrong. Rose, I should have NEVER told you how to hybridize! Your emotions...those wretched things, they were always going to be the death of you! How could you? Lie to me, your brother? I served you. I saved you. I rescued you. And for what?! To be treated…!" He said, and the holorecorder picked up a few tears dropping from his obscured face.

"This was a stupid idea. Pain doesn't fix anything. I'll keep working, and keep Onyx safe. Just because I lost Saf….and you, doesn't mean I need lose her. She's so curious. So fixated. We always promised her she'd see you...and I won't tell her you abandoned her. You're not that cowardly. You were just reckless. As ever."

The hologram cut out. But what was left was the file information.

 _February 19th, 2004._

A few years after Steven was born….Amethyst noted.

Another file popped up, and autoplayed. It was the last.

A tall, slender girl, with dark, black skin appeared. She had long, straight hair, and deep, brown eyes. She appeared human. She wore dark blue-teal clothing, regally, her belt a higher hue, with a somewhat of a skirt covering her legs. Her shoes were a darker blue-teal, and she had a focused expression on her face, with her tongue sticking out in concentration.

"There! That ought to work!" The girl started, with a smooth, yet feminine voice, obviously young.

"Log date:…. Erhm….Summer? By the looks of it? I know nothing of Earth's time formations, but for me, it's Tinterary…-"

As the hologram droned on and on about the timestamp, the other Gems had slowly approached and were just as puzzled as the purple misfit. Garnet adjusted her shades, and Pearl had her chin in hand, perplexed at how a _human_ accessed Sanctuary X.

"-nyways, I thought I ought to leave this. For Dad. And maybe Rose, too? Maybe I'm optimistic. Maybe I'm stupid. But Dad won't tell me ANYTHING!" She emphasized, frustrated.

"These records indicate Rose was pregnant. And some say that she would 'lose her physical form'. But maybe she survived?"

As the figure said this, the Gems' winced at the naivete of it all, but also in pity.

"I just...I want to know what she was like. She was my aunt...I remember her. Dad says I never met her. But he lied. I remember her coming to Teranus XV and meeting with Dad about the Gem Homeworld. I know he's worried. I know he's tired. But that's no excuse to never tell me I had a cousin!" She waved her arms, and though most wouldn't have noticed, Garnet did.

A small, but solid, rock, on her upper arm. Solid. Shiny. And Black.

An Onyx? But she's human… Garnet questioned.

"Dad never talks about the Rebellion. He says that it was when mom died." the girl said somewhat apathetically.

"I don't remember her. He wasn't lying about that."

"But Rose kept a diary here. Most of it is corrupted, or coded. But the most recent entries aren't. Apparently, their name is Nora, or Steven, depending on if they are a boy or girl. They were born….recently. I'm afraid I haven't figured out if they're still a baby or not. But, I'm SO excited! He should be staying with Greg, Rose's husband, right? Where else would they go? Dad always warned me not to go to Earth. 'Too dangerous.' But I think he was just lying. I mean, the war pretty much annihilated all REAL danger on the planet. There's no gems left here. Just Rose. Oh, uh, log end. I just found the location of Rose's husband! I can't wait to meet my uncle-in-law!"

The recording cut out, with the girl's face awash with excitement. Before anything could be registered completely, they all gasped, and realized this girl was heading to Greg's! They had to get there...and FAST!

The Gems' moved quickly. Pearl grabbed Connie and carried her, and Garnet did the same with Steven. And they ran. Oh, did they run. The Warp Pad's teleportation never seemed slower, and as they approached the Car Wash, they saw Greg was nowhere!

"Where else would he go? He didn't have an apartment...did he? Did he?" Pearl rushed, afraid of the possibilities.

"Oh no!" Steven shouted, garnering the attention of the group. "Dad just got back from being kidnapped! Now he's about to be-"

"No, he's not." Garnet said calmly. "We WILL stop it."

"But where else would he go? He doesn't have anywhere else to go but here or the house!" Amethyst shouted, running around looking for Greg under rocks and the like, uselessly, needlessly, but impulsively.

"Could he-" Pearl said, pondering, before being interrupted.

"No. I do not foresee him coming to the house." Garnet said clearly, looking into the hourglass of time, trying to find anything that would aid us, but to no avail.

"Where would he go..." Pearl questioned, looking afar.

Amethyst's purple face lit up with an idea.

"Steven!" Amethyst said, practically pouncing on him, grabbing his shoulders.

"Where would your dad go? You got any ideas?"

The group turned to him, once again looking for guidance.

"...maybe." Steven said seriously, looking them all square in the eyes.

"Close enough." Garnet said, as she picked the two children up, and off they were.

They rushed through Beach City, Steven uttering a 'left' or 'right' for simple direction, and soon they were upon Vidalia's house.

"Why would he come here?" Pearl asked, almost doubtfully, landing gracefully on the concrete.

"Dad used to come here all the time to babysit, and would stay here when he didn't have a home." Steven said, recalling many of his father's stories.

"Yeah! I remember that's how me and Val met!" Amethyst said, affirming Steven.

Garnet cared little. She put the children down firmly, and approached the door, and kicked it open, leaving it off its hinges. Three faces looked aghast and surprised at the interruption, one sitting in a sitting chair, two on a couch. There was Greg, on the couch, who looked no worse for wear, with his regular tanktop and shorts, sandals, and long, if not balding, hair. The common skin burn, everything. No scratches, abrasions, or harm. No bindings. Just sitting there, hands out, as if mid-conversation. There was the girl from the records, who looked more frightened than surprised, wearing the same clothes as in the recording, but with a teacup in hand, presumably with tea inside, sitting across from Greg. Then there was Vidalia, who looked more angry than scared, and glared at Garnet.

"Garnet! Do you have ANY idea how much it costs for a repairman for that door?!" Vidalia screamed as she stood up. "Do you?!"

As Greg prepared to laugh it off, Garnet instead summoned her gauntlets and took a step forward.

Vidalia stood her ground, but it was not her she was after. Garnet glared at the intruder on her planet.

She sat, like a deer in a headlight, too terrified to run.

"Oh, so now you're gonna' throw down?" Vidalia questioned. She raised her fists. "Let's go you square-headed relic!"

Garnet took another step, and the intruder jerked, scared that the fusion would pounce.

"T-t-there wasn't supposed to be any Gems on the planet! Especially not a combat fusion!" she said, as she dropped the teacup, shattering on the coffee table.

Greg glanced at Garnet, then at the girl, and then laughed nervously, and tried to defuse the situation.

"Oh, uhh, Onyx, this is Garnet! One of Steven's caretakers. Uh, Garnet...this is Onyx." Greg said amicably.

"I know who she is." Garnet said fiercely, still in a combat stance.

Greg sighed, relaxed.

"Oh, good. I'm glad that-" Greg said before being interrupted.

"An intruder. On MY world." Garnet said, taking another step.

The girl was shivering in fear, but Garnet was unwavering.

"Woah, woah, Garnet, this is Onyx, Steven's-" Greg said rushedly, before once again being interrupted.

"Get her!" Amethyst shouted, summoning her whip and joining Garnet, as Pearl did the same.

As the Gems prepared to attack, Steven noticed something. A strange pink box lying next to the girl. It looked...familiar. As he stared at it, his Gem glowed, and the Box opened into the shape of a Rose.

The Girl suddenly turned to it, and looked even more terrified than she was of the Gems.

"No, no, no no!" She said as she, in vain, tried to turn it off.

"What is that?" Garnet demanding raising a fist.

"It's a beacon! Rose's beacon! And that means-" the girl suddenly became deadly silent.

"Which means _he's_ coming."


	3. Arrival

Arrival

It had been a week. An entire, nail-biting, sweat-producing, hell of a week. Onyx was missing. _My_ daughter. The last thing in the universe that I would give up anything for...was missing. I tore a hole through the Guilds, lashing out, killing a few ignoramuses, patching a few leaks and holes. I was angry, and rightfully so. I had given the prestigious duty of protecting my daughter to the Caravanceer Guild.

"Oh, she doesn't require a soldier breathing down her neck in the Mercenaries' Guild..."

"Oh she doesn't require the nonprofessionalism of the Adventurers' Guild..."

I was an idiot to entrust it to a guild full of ex-security guards. I was a moron for entrusting my jewel of a daughter's safety to a bunch of old, pig-bellied **fools.** But it was my decision. It was _my_ fault and my fault alone that she was missing. And now? Now she was gone. We had no idea where she was. She would be looking for a familiar place….Titanus XV? No, she hadn't been there. Mirna? No, not there either. We searched the titanium-covered halls of the flagship of the Pilots' Guild, and the busy, metropolitan streets of Mirna, to no avail. She was gone. After the initial rage seeped, and those responsible for her disappearance were killed, I made it my mission to find her. She took an unmarked ship. There was no good way to find her. My daughter could be on Kinjorck for all we know! She could be a slave to a backwater planet's ruler right now! Or she could be dead. My advisers urged me to calm down, to not go to such a place. But how could I not?! She wasn't even 5 decades old! She didn't know how to fight...how to call for help….how to negotiate...NOTHING! She was a defenseless _child._ Sapphire would have told me that our daughter was smarter, made of better stock than the common stupid child. She'd tell me that Onyx would have survived irregardless. But I couldn't shake the feeling that _my_ daughter was in danger. And so, we set a course for _every_ single world she had visited one way or another. Asgora, home of the Asymurans. No, no records of her appearing there. Mirlotia? Deerag? Murcosa? No, no Gems of her descriptions appeared there. Where could she have gone? The more worlds we searched, the more time we wasted, the more I became desperate. And so I looked to the people that destroyed mine. The Diamonds. I used the private uplink given to me millenia ago, and it took not but a few seconds.

The screen turned yellow, signifying it was Citrine that took the call. Citrine, officially known as Yellow Diamond, was the most militant of the 3 last Diamonds. Making up the military of the Gem Empire, Yellow lead her troops with authority, dignity, and discipline. Though, she wasn't _always_ so strong-willed. It used to be, that Yellow was the eager-to-please, weak-willed, scatterbrained Diamond. She was the second youngest, and was anxious to prove her worth. The one that lead Homeworld's military, at that time, was Blue.

Anyways, back to the screen. The screen's loading indicator was a yellow bolt, rolling, signifying a waiting indicator. I sat back in my white float-chair, with my black, spiky armor made of Obsidian. My dark, blue-teal hair was just as peaky as my armor, and my uninterested, unimpressed, slightly annoyed expression was accented by my bored-looking eyes. I waited, albeit impatiently, until an unfamiliar, yet recognizable face appeared.

An angled, pompous face, complimented by birdlike features, and a nettled expression. A Pearl. Most likely, Yellow's. She looked to be only a few decades old, and very beautiful, in terms of Yellow's likes for a Pearl. She sneered imperially, and began her dictation to the lower lifeform.

"This is the Diamond emergency uplink. What is the reason for interrupting my Diamond's affairs?" the Pearl shrilly spat, ever so disrespectful.

I wasn't afraid, or ashamed, or even annoyed. I knew how Yellow raised her Gems. I knew once they knew who I was, that facade would crack. And so, with an apathetic drawl, I began to speak.

"Pearl. I wish to speak to Yellow. Immediately." I said, as a not-so-subtle order.

The Pearl reeled back at such arrogance.

"Do you know who you speak to? You will address my Diamond as her Royal Clarity, you vagabond!" Pearl annoyingly insisted, all the while emoting with her arms at the 'absurdity' of not addressing Yellow with higher titles.

"I've no times for this. It's me, The Gemcracker." I said, getting tired of this Pearl already.

Once the word _cracker_ was uttered, the Pearl visibly cringed. She began to stutter an apology, to which I rolled my eyes.

"Pearl..." a familiar, strong voice said calmly. "Who is on the line, and why are you acting like a giddy geode?"

As the Pearl began to utter an apology and explanation, a large, almost colossal arm reached down, in front of the Pearl, and readjusted the Uplink Monitor to so that I could see her in her full glory, and she could look down on me.

Yellow Diamond. The Disciplined coat-like armor, the helmet covering her head, and the unfocused, dismissive expression all denoted someone who had better things to do. She was busy allocating numbers and responding to some reports, but nonetheless asked the common question.

"Who is this, and why are you using such a vital uplink to contact me?" she said, still focused on the other two monitors in front of her throne.

The Pearl was visibly shaken from the ordeal, and looked to her Diamond in eagerness to be helpful, she began to utter who I was, until I interrupted.

"You know who I am, Yellow." I said, with an equally cool and annoyed expression.

My voice jogged her memory, and she faltered, and stopped for a moment. She then subtlety closed the two monitors, and raised the monitor face-to-face. The Pearl was still visible down below, shaking slightly from her failure. No longer indifferent, Yellow had a focused look on her face, obviously interested in what I had to say.

"I've contributed a great deal of work to the Diamond Authority. I've destroyed your enemies a thousandfold." I said, recalling venomously all the times I went back on my morality to blot out the pain I was feeling while mourning Sapphire.

Yellow immediately sneered, knowing my intentions.

"What do you need this time, Gemcracker?" She said patronizingly. "A new ship? A new army? A new flotilla? Or some rare mineral? What about intel? What is it this time that you would ask of us, your employers and betters?"

This had returned the Pearl to her scornful grin, and returned to her salute. Yellow had this small smile on her face, greatly amused at this.

I snapped. My hair turned a violent cyan, and my eyes a bleeding red, and in a deep, guttural voice, I asserted my rage.

"Do not talk down to me, Citrine. I will eat your Gem unshattered and uncracked! I am Zorlin, The One Who Shatters! And this doesn't exclude Diamonds!" I growled coldly.

The Pearl faltered once more, and shivered and jumped back in fear. And Yellow returned to her neutral expression.

"Yes, yes. You know I only jest." She droned unconvincingly. "But I digress. What is it that our best agent requires?"

I grit my teeth in anger at that word. I didn't want to come. I promised Onyx I wouldn't work with these filth anymore. But I had no choice. My hair returned to its natural state, along with my eyes.

"I, the independent mercenary Zorlin," I emphasized, "Require any knowledge the Gem Empire has of a rogue, untracked Steelio Mark V, model number 3556578."

Yellow brought her hand to her chin. Pearl was still quivering in fear, but her Diamond was not so easily shaken.

"I suppose that would be easily done. I'm curious, though. That ship has no innate significance. In fact, it should be rather easy to track in the Prime-"

"It's not in the Prime galaxy." I finished. "It's somewhere else. And it's vital I find it."

Yellow searched my eyes for an explanation. She shrugged, opened a new monitor, and began a search.

"Why didn't Blue or White pick up?" I asked, trying to fill the void that her searching created.

"Blue is….still mourning. I believe she is currently at her estate on Rignon Prime, bawling her eyes out," Yellow said unsympathetically, rolling her eyes. "As per the usual..."

"She's your sister, Yellow. Do you have no sympathy? Blue and Pink were close. Closer than you and Pink, at least. What if White-"

Yellow turned to me with an anger in her eyes. Still absent-minded, she continued searching in the background.

"White would never..." She began, closing her eyes, and then opening them on the finish. " **Ever**...get shattered by a measly Quartz."

I grinned slightly.

"You said the same of Pink, did you not? Yet...she was. Diamonds aren't invincible, Yellow. The sooner you learn that, the better you'll be off." I said truthfully.

"At least I don't sit around, getting nothing done, crying!" Yellow said, frustrated.

"Yellow. Blue was the closest to Pink. You can't expect her to get over it. If White got shattered, you'd still be a mess." I finished, stating the truth oncemore.

"I would not!" Yellow insisted, slamming her fist down on her throne, still searching. At this point, her Pearl jumped practically out of her skin in fear.

"You say so. But put yourself in that position. And then insist that Blue is being pathetic." I said solemnly.

The screen lit up with a result, which I noticed.

"Ah." Yellow began, highlighting the result. "A Steelio was seen at a refueling station just outside the Theta V system in the Triad Galaxy."

My eyes lit up in hope, and I sat up to speak.

"And? Who was seen? What were they doing?" I asked hurriedly.

She raised an eyebrow, and then continued.

"They were just refueling...though, such a benign and off-model ship, most would take notice. Archaic, even." Yellow began. "The pilot was a small, greyish girl..."

Yellow smiled in recognition. "With a blue-teal outfit."

"So, Onyx is missing?" she finished, looking back to me.

I grimaced. I didn't want them to know this, but lying wasn't my strongsuit.

"Aye. And we had no idea where she might be. Thanks, Yellow, I'll get back to findi-"

"If you require the Empire's aid..." Yellow interrupted, "All you need do, is ask."

I cringed. I knew Yellow was going to use this as leverage. I would _never_ accept the aid of the Gem Empire.

"No. My contacts and this information will suffice, Yellow. Nonetheless, I thank you." I said earnestly.

I ended the uplink, and opened another one to a group correspondence.

 _? 19:35: Still no sign of her in the Prime, Theta, Ancient, or Beta galaxies._

 _? 19:36: Unfortunate. The Syndicate sees no sign of her either, in their territories._

 _User 19:40: I just spoke with a source. The package was spotted in Theta V, Triad Galaxy, at a refueling station named Goriit. Send someone to check and receive package there._

 _? 19:40: Excellent, I'll have someone on it._

 _? 19:41: What was she doing there?_

 _User 19:41: Refueling, obviously._

 _? 19:41: I mean why would she refuel in such a backwater galaxy? Where could she be going?_

 _? 19:42: The only major routes there are to the Mining Facilities of the Mariad Galaxy, or the Training Dojos of the Moriat Galaxy._

 _? 19:42: Is she interested in Mining or Training, Guildmaster?_

 _User 19:43: No. But to be safe, check with the Mines and Dojos._

 _? 19:43: Yes, Guildmaster, right away, Guildmaster._

I sat back in my chair, reading the chatlog.

 _Damn. Still no sign of her. I'll never find her at this rate._

Suddenly, a ping came through my console. I hurriedly checked the usual systems, but no new pings were present. Confused, I check my secondary, tertiary, etc, systems. Nothing. The ping came through oncemore. I caught the ping; It was coming from….

 _Rose's correspondence? No...she's gone. Why would she?_

 **ROSE BEACON ACTIVATED: REPEAT, BEACON ACTIVATED. EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY. GEMS DETECTED NEAR BEACON: GARNET, AMETHYST, PEARL, _ONYX, ROSE QUARTS._**

 _What?! Onyx has the bea- Wait, there's a **Rose Quartz detected**?!_

I accepted the ping, and immediately opened my primary correspondence.

 _User 19:44: All agents, I know where the package is. I'm setting a course for Earth, Crystal Galaxy. I repeat, the package is on Earth._

"Who's coming?!" Garnet demanded, grabbing Onyx by the front of her shirt, dangling her in the air. "Answer me, now!"

The Beacon was still pulsating, and Pearl was fumbling with it, trying to disable it. Amethyst was not so patient. Amethyst took the beacon, threw it to the ground, and stomped on it until the pulsating stopped.

"Amethyst! That Beacon was one of Rose's personal ones!" Pearl denounced the destruction of such a relic. "That could have very well been the last of its kind!"

Amethyst leaned back whilst standing, crossed her arms behind her head. "It is now, P."

Pearl babbled her frustrations and Amethyst mimicked them childishly.

"Please!" Onyx cried, "Put me down, and I'll explain!"

Garnet tightened her grip, and prepared to poof the Homeworld intruder.

"Garnet," Steven began, worried at the violence towards the unarmed Gem, "Shouldn't we at least hear her out? She came to Dad for a reason, and it didn't look like she was-"

"Steven, this intruder broke into your mother's most sacred sanctuaries. I will not simply allow that transgression to slide." Garnet asserted.

Connie was visibly worried.

 _Why is Garnet about to poof an unarmed Gem? It can't fight back. It's no threat..._ Connie thought, frightened at the hostility.

 _Though, to be fair, Mr. Universe was just kidnapped by a Gem…_

"Garnet, please!" Greg said, gripping at the Fusion's left arm, "Put Onyx down! She's not a Homeworld Gem! I can explain everything!"

To this, Garnet simply kept her death-dealing grip tightened.

Steven grimaced. It wasn't like Garnet to do this.

 _I know who that man was. At least, I think I know….Garnet thought._

 _And Pearl should know as well. Perhaps it didn't cross her mind. It doesn't matter. The Gemcracker killed hundreds of my comrades. And he was more dangerous than any foe I fought- period, end of story. Rose warned me and Pearl and Bismuth and all of the elites to NEVER engage him. That he was too dangerous a foe for even her to fight. If Rose couldn't fight him...not even Alexandrite could stand up to him. And this girl is connected to him, somehow._

"Pearl!" Garnet said, startling the Gem. "Do you remember the stories of the Homeworld Mercenary called the Gemcracker?"

Pearl searched her memory, her eyes darting back and forth, until a look of simultaneous recognition and horror crossed her face, as she closed her mouth in fear of letting out a fearful scream. As she recollected herself, all took notice.

"Pearl? What's wrong?" Connie asked, afraid to know who this Gemcracker was.

Steven also was curious. And Amethyst even more so.

"It's….him!" Pearl began, too emotional to talk without sobbing in between. "By the stars, Garnet, is that who's coming?"

Garnet lowered her head in acknowledgment.

Pearl fell back into the corner of the house, and tears and sobs fell through her quickly.

"I'll ask a different question," Garnet said, tightening her grip on Onyx, "How do you know the Gemcracker?"

The girl struggled in the Fusion's grasp, and had trouble responding.

"Please! Put me down, this hurts! I can explain!" Onyx cried out in pain.

It struck a chord with Steven, Connie, and apparently, Greg.

Greg got this angry look on his face, and suddenly pulled Garnet's arm down, forcing her to release Onyx. Garnet, both unaware and surprised at Greg's strength, didn't have time to resist. Onyx fell from her grasp, and all eyes fell on her as she fell to the couch. She sputtered and coughed, obviously shaken.

Garnet quickly moved to reengage, but Greg got in front.

"Now that's enough!" Greg put his foot down. "You won't even hear this girl out!"

Garnet was startled at Greg's insistence. At first, Garnet didn't care why she was here. Then she just assumed she was weaving some tale to get him to let her in. But now she was intrigued.

 _What is making Greg defend her so fiercely?_

"Why are you defending her?" Garnet asked, ever the emotionless.

"Why are you ATTACKING her?!" Greg replied, obviously angry. "You don't even know who she is or why she's here! She's-"

Before Greg could finally explain, a device binged on the foreign Gem's person, and suddenly a hologram of the statue man appeared in front of Onyx.

Garnet reeled back in fear, and Pearl huddled against the wall.

 _It's him...(It's him!_ )

The man looked at the girl with a serious look, and began to lecture.

"Onyx Quartz Sapphire!" I began, glaring at my daughter.

I had zoned in on her communicator, with the Beacon's aid. And I didn't hide my anger.

"I turn away for one week….ONE week. And you're gone." I sputtered.

"But-" Onyx tried to interrupt me, but I was in no mood for that.

"No! No buts, ands, or ifs. Do you know how worried I've been? I told you that Earth was **off limits.** And what do you do? You steal one of my ships, and leave without neither a goodbye nor a guard."

"But Dad I can-"

"No! You are going to listen well. Earth isn't safe. You are to LEAVE immediately. There are Gems there...Gems that will attack you. They will not accept, nor welcome you. I understand why you want to be there...but without me, or a guard? Onyx, you know better." I finished, calmer than when I began.

Onyx looked on the verge of tears.

"But Dad!" She started, tears flowing freely.

"You never told me I had a cousin! Or that Aunt Rose was gone! You LIED to me!" She cried.

 _Aunt Rose? All 4 of the Crystals pondered, quite rightfully._

"And for good reason, Onyx! Garnet and Pearl will be terrified of the notion of myself. Rose never told them anything about me- and for good reason. I know we never talked of it, but...to the Crystal Rebels, I was a murderer. A slaughtering maniacal mercenary for Homeworld. And Garnet is quick to react, and Pearl even quicker to do rash actions. I know them well. Leave."

"No! I won't do it!" Onyx defiantly shouted, tears still falling off her grey-black cheek.

"Onyx..." I said with a parental tinge coming off easily from my voice.

"Dad, please! I met Uncle Greg!" Onyx tearfully exclaimed.

I stood up from my chair, and grasped my communicator fearfully.

"Onyx! Does. Garnet. Know. You. Are. There?" I asked, denoting each word carefully.

"...yes..." Onyx said, glancing at Garnet, and then at the marks on her neck.

I practically fainted at this notion, but quickly got a hold of myself.

"Listen to me, Onyx. Garnet is a permafusion. I know she is fully capable of killing you. Please. I know you want answers- and I'll give them to you! I swear. But I can't lose you. I can't. I'll tell you everything- About Rose, about Pink Diamond, about the Rebellion, about Sapphire, _everything_. But you must leave Earth."

"I can't. They…." Onyx began, glancing at the Crystals.

"They already found me..."

My heart shattered in two.

"What?!" I screamed. "Are you all right? Are you injured?"

I hadn't noticed it until now, but I did now. A faint line around her neck, as though she was roughly grabbed.

"Onyx! Are you okay? Your neck!"

Onyx rubbed it meekly.

"It's okay...It doesn't hurt..."

"Onyx! I'm on my way, kiddo! Please, please hold on. I'm going as quick as I can! I'll be there in a few minutes, I swear!" I said, before finishing the ordeal of a conversation with my daughter.

I quickly reset my engine speed to max, and sped past the Alliance Border Patrol, them not even noticing me. It was 30 seconds before Earth came to view. I locked onto her coordinates, and went as fast as I could to the surface without crashing. I had to save her. I couldn't lose her!

The communication ended, the figure disappeared.

Onyx still rubbed her neck meekly.

"What is this about 'aunt' Rose?" Garnet ordered, slamming her fist down on the coffee table. "Who are you?!"

Onyx cringed, but Greg stepped in front of Onyx, protecting her.

"Garnet, that's what I've been trying to tell you!" Greg said, holding a frustrated smile.

"Onyx here, is Steven's cousin! And apparently Rose had some sort of brother. She was asking about Rose..."

Greg pointed to Steven next.

"...and Steven." Greg finished with a big grin on his face.

 _Brother..? (Brother?!) (Woah, a brother?)_

At this, Onyx's face lit up, and she jumped past Garnet, Pearl and Amethyst with surprising speed, and gripped Steven's shoulders, which caused the older Gems to tighten their weapons' grips.

" _You're_ Steven?!" Onyx said, with a large, wide smile on her face, tears still flowing, but gleefully this time.

Steven blushed, and shied away.

"Yeah, that's my name. Don't wear it out," Steven said shyly, but still managed an awkward laugh after that half-hearted joke.

Onyx began to giggle and laugh almost insanely, only barely managing to choke out a few words.

"I can't believe it! All these years! Steven! Steven Quartz Universe!" Onyx laughed on and on, until falling to the ground, clutching at her sides in laughter.

Greg smiled. He knew what it was like. He met his dad as an adult, him having walked out on Steven's grandmother. And his dad wasn't a deadbeat, luckily. He was so happy to see him. Like a part of him was lost. He knew exactly what Onyx was feeling.

Onyx suddenly jolted up, and began asking questions.

"How old are you?"

"Oh, do you know how to fight?"

"Can you summon your Shield? Or is it a completely different weapon?"

"Woah, woah woah," Steven said, waving his arms, "One question at a time," he said, laughing off all of the foreign Gem's excitement.

Onyx blushed blue, and started over, slowly.

"How old are you?"

"I'm 14. Almost 15." Steven said, remembering his birthday was close.

"15 decades? Wow, you're so much older than I-" Onyx said, amazed at how off she was.

"Decades?!" Connie sputtered, and Steven and her both erupted into laughter at the confusion.

"What? Is that...is that not right?" Onyx meekly asked, blushing blue.

While this had all gone on, Garnet and Amethyst had removed their weapons, and simply watched in bemusement at the Gems' curiosity. Pearl, however, was not convinced.

 _She didn't accept this. Rose would have told her about some sort of brother, right? She was Rose's most trusted confidante...but yet, he seemed to know quite a bit about them. It didn't make sense. Who was he? How did….did he know Rose? Better than she, perhaps? No, that's absurd. Insane, even. No, this girl was just another Homeworld intruder, using information to get their guards down...right? But then...why would she be so convincing? This just doesn't make sense….Pearl continued to go down a logic circle, completely befuddled at this girl's existence._

"...and do you know how-" Onyx continued to question, finally being interrupted.

"Wait! I'm supposed to ask _you_ a question!" Steven asserted, "That's how this works."

"Oh." Onyx replied, her expression going from excitement to neutrality, then to joy. "Ask away!"

"Who's your dad? And your mom?" Steven asked, trying to be sensitive about it.

"...oh." Onyx said, slanting a bit.

"If it's too personal-"

"No." Onyx answered, "It's only fair. My Mom was a Sapphire who served Blue Diamond. She, uh...got cracked during the Rebellion here on Earth. And her and dad made plans so that I could be born. I never met her. My dad's been raising me. He's a Gemcracker. One of the last of his people. And me, too, I guess. But I'm no fighter…."

"Wait!" Amethyst shouted. "So you're like Steven?! Half Gemwhatever, Half Gem?!"

 _So that's why he said 'killed' and not 'shattered'? Hmmm…. Garnet pondered._

"...I guess. But Steven knows how to fuse, and to fight," Onyx blushed again, "...While I don't even know how to summon my weapon. That is, if I even have one..."

"Sure you do!" Steven reassured her, "I used to think that too. My powers are linked to emotions, because I'm a Rose Quartz. Yours must be something else."

Onyx smiled. She was so happy. She never had to mourn her mother. But in her mourning for her Aunt, she found her cousin. Her...cousin. The nephew of her….. _Oh no, she thought._

"Oh, no!" Onyx cried out, rushing up to Garnet. "Dad thinks you're trying to kill me! And he's on his way here!"

Garnet's face turned from that of being puzzled to that of being disturbed.

"That isn't good." Garnet said as her brow wrinkled.

"Wait, why? We'll just tell-" Amethyst said before being interrupted by Pearl.

"We have to hide!" She said, jumping to her feet, and grabbing Garnet's arm. "We can't fight him! H-he'll shatter us!"

Amethyst and Steven looked perplexed at Pearl's fear.

"Pearl. We can't just hide. He is a threat to Earth. And a threat to Steven." Garnet said calmly, and collected. Pearl quivered, still completely afraid.

"But-but we can't fight a Gemcracker!" Pearl cried, still sweating and shaking.

"What's a Gemcracker?" Connie asked, turning to Onyx.

Onyx hesitated, but then continued.

"Gemcrackers are an ancient race of Warriors and Hunters. My Dad is one of the last Gemcrackers left alive."

"Oh yeah? We fight warriors all the time, kid." Amethyst said gruffly, not looking impressed.

Garnet grimaced tightly.

 _Amethyst has no idea who she's talking about..._ Garnet thought.

"I'm sure you're a great fighter, Amethyst..." Onyx said, a half-smile crookedly fixing itself on her face.

"But it's a Gemcracker. And we can't fight them." Garnet said, finishing Onyx's thought.

"We can't?" Amethyst, Connie, and Steven all said simultaneously.

"No!" Pearl cried, aghast, "We can't!"

Steven, Connie, and Amethyst all looked at one another with the same, confused look. They peered at Pearl, who looked positively shaken.

"Gemcrackers were made to shatter Gems." Garnet explained. "Me and Pearl remember hearing that Homeworld had hired one as a mercenary to support Homeworld's interests on Earth. And Rose told us that Gemcrackers were of another breed of Warriors. Some were trained to shatter Diamonds."

"And shattering a Diamond is really hard. Only my Mom did it, from what I've heard." Steven said, obviously dispirited, looking down at his feet.

"Speaking of which..." Onyx began, "I'm sorry about your Mom, Steven."

Steven glanced at his cousin, smiled, and uttered a thank-you.

My ship had already traced the beacon's signal, but expectedly, it had been destroyed in fear. The descent into Earth's atmosphere had begun, and my nervousness had piqued, and was left instead with a tenacity matched only by my sureness of one thing; Onyx would not come to harm.

Earth was even _more_ beautiful than the last time I saw it. Surprisingly, it seemed the Kindergartens had no effect on Earth's biological growth. It's lucky that the Gemcrackers had a base there, millions of years ago. The terraformers had maintained Earth's purity, and allowed humanity to evolve independently of Gemcracker influence. The vibrant, verdant greens of Earth never ceased to impress me, even more so was the complimenting colors of Earth's ecosystem. The particular area I was in had green grass, accented by patches of yellow sand and blue water. Earth was, by all standards, a very successful planet. What the Council would do to know of its existence! Humanity would be skyrocketed and paraded as the inhabitants of one of the most adaptable planets known to the Universe!

But no, instead, the Alliance hid its existence in shame. After all, Pink Diamond was shattered here. It would cause no end of spiteful tourists to Earth, hoping to find a shard of Pink Diamond to sell at incredulous prices.

I stepped off my silver command ship, gleaming in the darkest, blackest, most jagged armor. On my back was a large broadsword, that reflected multiple colors, its sharp edges an almost rainbow color. I looked up into the field of green below, and glanced to my left. I saw it. A silver Steelio, old, but reliable. A plume of steam rose from the pillar-flue, signifying a recent, recent landing.

"Computer, run search for correspondent gems: Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Rose Quartz, and Onyx." I said mechanically into my wrist-mounted computer pad.

The search didn't last nearly as long as I dreaded. The search resulted in a location. I smiled, I had time.

 _They won't hurt her. Not while I live._

I waved my hand in a familiar motion, and a green, see-through board appeared beneath my feet.

 _The hard-plasma multitool...never gets old._

I stomped slightly, and the board, with me on it, sped quickly off into the distance, towards a human settlement, with all Gem signatures in a particular housing unit.

Garnet's shades flashed, and she tensed up.

"Get ready, Gems." She said solemnly, not quite convinced herself.

A horror-filled expression covered Pearl's pale face, and she scrambled to a nearby corner, looking even more panicked than before.

Amethyst, on the other hand, summoned her whips, Garnet her gauntlets.

"No!" Onyx cried, jumping between the two seasoned veteran Gem warriors.

"He'll think you were torturing me or something! Please, put your weapons away!"

Garnet hesitated, and that hesitation wasn't fast enough. A loud _pulse_ sounded, and half of Vidalia's home disappeared in a green flash, replaced by charred marks surrounding a hole in the house. Smack dab in the middle? The man they saw in the holograms. But much bigger than they expected, certainly larger than most humans. He is standing on a plasma platform, with a _very_ large broadsword swung over his shoulders. The same disinterested, bored face he put on during the holorecordings, or the worried look they saw during the hologram? Was gone. Replaced by a furious snarl, blood seeping from his eyes, and the brilliant cyan-fire glowed in his hair. It took only a few milliseconds, he swung the broadsword over and aimed it at the permafusion, and a small orb appeared at the end.

Onyx knew what was going to happen. A beam of pure energy was going to shatter Garnet instantly. She had to act.

She jumped in front of Garnet, and the orb's screeching sound quieted, and an annoyed look appeared on his face.

"Dad!" Onyx said, "They weren't hurting me, I swear! They were afraid of you, is all! Please, don't hurt them!"

Onyx waved her arms, trying to make sure there were no open shots on Garnet.

The plasma board disappeared, and they heard the _kurchunk_ of the concrete being crushed instantly sounded. The Gemcracker grievously stepped, leaving large boot prints in the concrete behind him. He walked, the sword still aiming at the permafusion, towards the group, the same, annoyed expression on his face the meanwhile. Soon enough, he holstered his sword, approached Onyx, and drew her in a fatherly embrace. No one but Steven noticed the tears flowing down Onyx's back, or heard the sobbing from her father. He quickly withdrew, and spoke.

"Did they hurt you?" He asked, a paternal worry on his face.

Onyx smiled, "No, Dad, I swear. They were afraid, that's all."

The Gemcracker looked at the Earthlings, and the snarl from earlier appeared. He took Onyx to the side and stepped up into Garnet's face, meeting her eye-to-eye.

"Filthy Gems like you oughtn't touch royalty." He said in a deep, grating snarl.

"Tell me why I shouldn't shatter you, here and now?"

"Dad," Onyx began, tears rolling down her face. "Rose is gone."

The snarl of the Gemcracker weakened, replaced by a deep understanding of grief. He glimpsed at his daughter, and then back at Garnet.

"And Steven's alive."

To that, a look of true disbelief crawled across his face, and Onyx's tears were accented by a powerful smile that could melt an iceberg.


End file.
